Hats have been worn for both fashion and function since Egyptian times. Soft
felt hats gained in popularity as the city hat of choice after 1907. This
style complemented the trend toward dressier men's clothing and the lower crown
was also more practical for getting in and out of low-slung automobiles with
limited headroom. Prior to World War II, anyone walking hatless out of doors
in a town would have been very conspicuous.

All the classic city hats were traditionally
sold with open crowns, to be creased or bashed when sold. The standard crease
was a center crease with dents near the front. Hats with this crease and the
brim snapped down in front became known as fedora
hats after the style was
popularized in the 1888 play Fedora
by V. Sardou, and worn by such well known real and fictional characters as
Humphry Bogart's character in Casa Blanca and The
Maltese Falcon, Al Capone
and Dick Tracy. The term fedora hat eventually expanded to include similarly
shaped Panama hats and straw hats, as well as the traditional soft fur felt
hats, well represented by the open crown Sydney Hat by Akubra.

In the 1950's fedoras and men's city hats in general saw a decline in popularity.
More recently we have seen an increase in the interest in fedora hats. The
fedora's practical wide brim and classic shape provide good sun protection
and great style. It's popularity has been further increased by Harrison Ford's
character in the Indiana Jones movies, who wore a fur felt hat with a modified
fedora bash. (Our open crown Adventurer by Akubra is the same general shape, size and color as the hat worn in the movies.)

City Hats by Akubra
Australia
has been one of the most urban countries in the world since the 1850's, with
more than 90% of the people living in the big cities. Akubra has always served
this urban population as well as the needs of drovers, stockmen, pastoralists
and outdoorspeople. Akubra hats combine
the best of Australian style with durability and function. We have been selling
Akubra Hats here in the US since 1965 and are pleased to offer five classic
city hats in fur felt by Akubra:

• The Sydney is a soft
fedora with a snap brim. This hat is a classic Fedora, with an open crown
for you to personalize with your own crease.

The Stylemaster is a pre-creased fedora that will suit hat lovers of all ages. The Stylemaster has a moderate 2-1/2 inch snap brim and a grosgrain ribbon band.

The Hampton is our narrowest brim Akubra, just 1-3/4 inches, with a center crease, ideal for city wear.

• The Squatter is a firmer felt,
with a drop brim. This shape not only stayed in use in Australia as a dressy
country hat, but also developed in Africa as the Safari hat. Open crown.

• The Bushman, with snap brim,
is again a firmer style that stayed in use in Australia as an all-round hat.
The Bushman is one of Akubra's first hats, still popular today, still sold with a traditional open crown so you can personalize with your own crease.

• The Adventurer, again in
Akubra's firmer Imperial Quality fur felt, is an open crown fedora similar
in style and color to that worn by Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones movies.
Add an Indy Bash, or your own individualized crease to
have your desired style of Fedora.

All the classic city hats were traditionally sold with open crowns, to be
creased or bashed when sold. The standard crease was a center crease with dents
near the front although this varied by individuals. You will enjoy creasing
your hat into your own personal shape. Detailed instructions are given for
several types of creases on our Bashing
Your Open Crown Akubra page and in our Hat
Manual (pdf).

More Fedoras
Our Panama Fedora is stylish and practical for sun protection and
warm weather wear, as is the Tilley "Shantung" Fedora. The Seattle Hat by Biltmore Hats will keep you stylish and dry through the worst of Seattle's weather.

Fedora Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the questions we receive regarding Fedoras. For
more general questions about hats, please check our Hat
FAQ page.

How do I determine my hat size?
Heads come in all sizes, and a surprising variety of shapes. Please check our
Hat Sizing page for detailed information on determining
your hat size.

How do I crease my open crown Fedora?
The Akubra hats with an open crown allow you to put your own personal
bash or crease in the crown. Detailed instructions are given for several types
of creases on our Bashing Your Open
Crown Akubra
page and on our Indy Bash page.

Can I wear my Fedora in the rain?Akubra fur felt hats are not damaged by water. Though a light shower will not penetrate the felt, during the course of a good long walk in a rainstorm the felt will absorb water. This is not a problem, you will still be kept warm and dry beneath the hat, as the hat will not leak water. Just make sure to dry the hat at room temperature setting it on a hat hook, cardboard box or shelf in such a way that the shape will not be affected.

Panama hats, including our Panama Fedora, are designed to be worn in the sun and should not be worn in the
rain. For more information please see our Hat Care
page.

Do you carry the hat worn by Indiana Jones?
No, but we do carry the Adventurer by
Akubra, in the same general shape, style and color as the fedora worn by Harrison
Ford's character Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones movies. The
hat worn by Indiana Jones was a custom-shaped hat. The Bushman and Squatter,
also by Akubra, are basically similar shapes. We did supply the handcrafted
whips used in the Indiana Jones movies.

For more information ...
Please follow the links below for more information about dress hats and related
items.